Let'sGoZips94

Hey uh Groce, want to put in a good word for your boy?

How many Horizon League teams beat P4 teams this year?

100% think you're onto something.

This needs to be fixed going forward.

I gave you several logical reasons why I think there's a good chance the MAC will be better. I don't know for certain, and neither do you. The MAC finished 17th in NET; to call it a "historic year" for any other reason than Miami OH going undefeated (which would probably suggest the MAC wasn't historically good) is hyperbole. They had a good year, but as a whole there is plenty of room for improvement that the Portal can provide as much as it has taken. Remove NIU entirely (cannot express how healthy this is for the MAC), add 3 new coaches for 3 of the worst teams, and there is plenty of reason to be optimistic. Not to mention if the MAC had as "historic" a year as you claim, it's not unfathomable to think that talented players would then be attracted to play in the MAC. There are multiple potential outcomes from this chaos, each with their own logical argument (unless the argument is that Kent being good benefits Akron; that's illogical 😉😂). We will see what transpires.

Something doesn't add up here. We would now have more assistants than when Groce was coach.

What was he peeling? In all seriousness, and asking legitimately - was everything hunky dory between Groce and the admin?

Right, which he may have wanted to remain a part of. I don't need a departing letter from him - he gave us 4.5 MAC titles including an incredible 3Peat. Forever thankful. Now it's the Dustin Ford era and Groce is happy in CofC.

No. Based on all the rumors, it did not end well between him and the administration (mainly Nemer). Does not surprise me that he is just moving on.

I think there's a better chance of the MAC being better as a whole next year than being worse, yes. Keep in mind, we're dropping NIU. Automatically our NET/KenPom should improve as a conference with that dead weight gone. Nearly every team in the country is experiencing this type of turnover. The talent has to play somewhere and with the publicity the MAC got this year, why not play in the MAC? UMass, Buffalo, EMU, Miami OH, and BUGS all had wins over P5 teams; EMU was one of the worst teams in the conference, and Buffalo/UMass/BUGS were major Portal projects coming into last season. Miami OH will find its level around .500 or a little better (probably a little better). Kent will most likely be a 20 win team again. UMass will probably be better. I expect Balls/EMU/WMU to not be nearly as bad/unpredictable. Ohio will probably be a 20 win team again. Toledo will be around there as well most likely. It's not hard to see how the MAC can be better.

Who's to say the MAC doesn't get better? Only 3 teams had 20 win seasons - Miami OH, Akron, Kent.

In a year with a bit more uncertainty due to the coaching change, give me the path of least resistance. Who knows who will end up being good come time for the season, but having Portal chaos in the MAC isn't bad for Akron right now.

We only have 3 guys (one of them is Connor Groce) in the Portal at the moment. Portal doesn't open officially until tomorrow, so technically nobody can sign anywhere yet.

WOW!!!!!! WIDE OPEN NEXT YEAR!

Not at all different. A company local to Akron should be proud to support the Akron-based DI school.

Any local companies want to do this for Akron?

He hasn't signed that extension to my knowledge, and him not leaving says a lot about what CBB thinks of his abilities.

Not sure he offers anything in Kentucky/Illinois/Indiana we didn't already have, but it never hurts to be strong in Illinois/Kentucky/Indiana for basketball. Spending 6 seasons in Fargo/the Summit League could be also be very advantageous.

Their crash is going to be hilarious. 1) They almost have to play a tougher schedule because every legitimate P4 under the sun is going to want to shut them up for all the yapping they did this year about nobody playing them. Not to mention they won't dodge second games vs. Akron & Kent. 2) Their top talent that gave them the mismatch advantages they had is all either in the Portal or graduated. 3) I doubt they experience the same friendly whistle treatment they benefitted from all year. When they go back to averaging 2k fans at most per game, good luck dealing with the donors forking over tens of millions for the new arena that was sold to them based on a fluke season.

GREAT addition. Comes from a winning program.

At this particular point in time, I guess that's true. How long that statement remains true, I don't know. Woolfolk was a senior - does he have another year of eligibility somehow? They're losing ~half their PPG, all of their matchup advantages, and the returning pieces of Skaljac/Kirby/Atlason/Ipsaro aren't overly special. Most of the MAC teams will be able to find comparable pieces in the Portal in all likelihood. Every team for the most part is being decimated nowadays by the Portal. 3 of the worst programs in the MAC had coaching changes along with the top team in the MAC. Not to mention we're finally dropping the boat anchor that was NIU. It's hard to say if the MAC will be down, how much it'll be down, etc.

Miami OH, as of now, has lost everything that made them special. Skaljac is the only returning threat and I'm curious to see if he's as productive without Elmer/Byers/Suder spreading the floor. Wouldn't be surprised if he hits the Portal knowing the supporting cast is gone.

Only Skaljac remains (for now).